Multi-modal package handling tool and system

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed towards a multi-modal package handling tool. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the inventive tool includes a tool platform mounted to the end of a robotic arm. The tool further includes a plurality of package attachment systems mounted to the tool platform wherein each of the plurality of package attachment systems is configured to attach a package to the end of the robotic arm. The inventive tool is responsive to a controller that is operative to select at least one of the package attachment systems to be presented to the package for attaching the package to the end of the robotic arm.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation-in-Part of currently-pending U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/905,241 filed Dec. 22, 2004, which ishereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a tool which may be mounted upon aprime mover, such as an industrial articulating robot or gantry robot,for the purpose of handling a variety of different packages havingdifferent sizes and shapes, such as, for exemplary purposes only, thosecommonly used for consumer and pre-consumer packaging of various typesof goods, to create “build to order” pallets, for example, comprisingthe goods packaged in the different sized and shaped packages.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The distribution of various packages including, but not limited to fooditems, and particularly beverages, is rendered more difficult by thefact that beverage containers come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Forexample, beverages are marketed in 12 ounce cans, one liter bottles,smaller bottles, and larger containers having all sorts of sizes andshapes. Moreover, the packages used to hold such beverage containers, orany other packaged products for that matter, come in scarcely fewernumber of sizes and shapes. It is often necessary for beveragedistributors to break down pallets or subdivide pallets of beverages ata distribution point, because frequently the beverage retailer whoseorder is being filled does not desire to take delivery of a full palletof one particular type of beverage. Thus, a full pallet having but onetype of beverage packaged in a single type of package, will need to bebroken down. Unfortunately, use of picker and packer employees to handlesuch packages results in considerable expense for labor.

The present invention uses an end of arm tool mounted on a robot, withthe robot preferably mounted on a track, to pick a variety of differenttypes of packages, for the purpose of loading the packages on a palletfor shipment to, for example, a retailer of packaged goods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present multi-modal package handling tool includes a tool platformwith a plurality of package-carrying vacuum units arranged in agenerally planar array, with tie vacuum units being attached to a firstportion of the tool platform. A plurality of extensible package grippersis mounted to the tool platform, with extensible grippers having atleast retracted position and an extended position. The tool platform mayalso have a slidingly deployable package platform mounted thereto, withthe package platform having at least a retracted position and anextended position.

Each of the vacuum units mounted to the tool platform has a vacuum headpowered by a dedicated vacuum generator. This offers the advantage thatin the event that a vacuum leak occurs within any of the vacuum units,vacuum to will not be lost with respect to the remaining units becauseeach of the vacuum heads has an independent source of vacuum. Moreover,minor air leads will not cause the vacuum power of any of the vacuumheads to be lost. Each of the vacuum heads extends through a port formedin a surface plate which is also attached to the tool platform, suchthat a package engaged by one or more of the vacuum heads will be drawninto contact with the surface plate. This advantageous result occursbecause the vacuum units contract axially when the vacuum is applied andthis causes the package being secured by the vacuum units to be pulledinto contact with the surface plate, thereby stabilizing the packagebeing carried.

Each of the previously mentioned extensible grippers comprises a packageengaging tool mounted to the tool platform by means of a slidablecarrier. The extensible grippers may include either hook-like membersfor engaging handholds formed in a tray of goods, or pincher members forengaging a tray of goods, whether the tray be of cardboard, plastics,metal, or other materials known to those skilled in the art andsuggested by this disclosure.

Smooth-sided packages, such as closed cardboard cartons that contain,for example, food products, office supplies, apparel, and othersimilarly packaged goods, may be picked by the plurality ofpackage-carrying vacuum units which are arranged in a generally planararray at one end of a space frame comprising the tool platform. Packagegrippers are mounted within space frame advanced to the generally planararray, with the package grippers having at lease a retracted positioninboard of the planar array and extended position outboard of the planararray. Similarly, the package platform has at least a retracted positioninboard of the planar array and an extended position outboard of theplanar array.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a machine visionunit is operatively connected with a controller which operates not onlythe robot to which the end of arm tool is attached, but also the vacuumunits, package grippers, and sliding package platform. Using techniqueswhich are known to those skilled in the art and beyond the scope of thisinvention, the machine vision unit provides the controller with an imageof a package being handled, so as to permit the controller to select theuse of either the vacuum units or package grippers or a combination ofthe vacuum units and the package platform. In the event that both thepackage platform and the vacuum units are used, the end of arm tool willbe oriented such that the surface plate through which the vacuum unitserupt will be suited in a generally vertical orientation, with thesequence of attaching the package to the end of arm tool following thesteps of using the vacuum units and the robot to lift the package whiledeploying the sliding package platform under the lifted package. In thismanner, the sliding package platform may be positioned under the packagewithout pushing the package from its position on a supply pallet.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method forpicking up a package includes the steps of determining at least onecharacteristic of a package being picked up, communicating thedetermined characteristic to a controller, and using the controller toselect from a plurality of package attachment systems carried upon anend of arm tool, with the controller making the selection based upon thepreviously described characteristic. Then, at least one selected packageattachment system is presented to a package by means of a robot (i.e.,such as an industrial robot or a gantry robot) having the end of armtool attached thereto, with the robot being operated by the controller.The ultimate step is attachment of the package to the end of arm tool bymeans of the selected package attachment system.

It is an advantage of the present invention that a single end of armtool may accommodate a large number of packages having different sizes,shapes, construction and configuration, ranging from plastic trayshaving multiple packages of bottles contained therein, to smooth sidedcardboard or plastic packages, to cardboard tray packages.

It is a further advantage of the present invention that this inventionallows the breaking down of homogeneous package pallets into mixedpallets without the need for human operators.

Other advantages, as well as features and objects of the presentinvention will become apparent to the reader of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-modal package handling systemaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an perspective view of a portion of the system in FIG. 1,showing the present handling system picking up a smooth-sided cardboardcarton.

FIG. 3 is a segment of the illustration of FIG. 2, albeit from adifferent perspective, showing additional design elements of an end ofarm tool according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates the present multi-modal package handling systempicking up a tray of beverage bottles.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged portion of FIG. 4, showing additional details ofconstruction of the present end of arm tool.

FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5, but depicts pincer type package grippersmounted to the end of arm tool.

FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 1, but illustrates two end of arm toolsmounted to a single robot arm.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a portion of a control system according toone aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates a multi-modal package pick up operation involving notonly vacuum units, but also a sliding package platform.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary implementation ofthe multi-modal package handling tool and system shown in FIGS. 1 and 7,for example, in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective and diagrammatic view of an alternate preferredembodiment of the multi-modal package handling system illustrated inFIG. 1.

FIG. 12 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary implementation ofthe multi-modal package handling tool and system shown in FIG. 11, forexample, in accordance with the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1, in a preferred embodiment, the present multi-modalpackage handling system 10 is used in conjunction with an industrialarticulating robot 32 mounted upon a guideway 14, which is situatedbetween adjacent rows of supply pallets 20. It should be noted however,that, as will be described in greater detail below, the presentinvention is not limited to use with an industrial articulating robot.Rather, the inventive tool and system to be described below can beimplemented in any number of applications and arrangements that remainwithin the spirit and scope of the present invention.

In the preferred embodiment wherein articulating robot 32 is employed,however, robot 32 has robot arm 34 that is operable along a plurality ofaxes, to which multi-modal package handling tool 36 is mounted by wayof, for exemplary purposes only, bolts or other known fasteners. Inturn, robot 32 is mounted using, for example, bolts or other knownfasteners, upon carriage 38, which is then mounted upon guideway 14 toprovide a measure of movability to system 10, and more particularly,robot 32. System 10 generally, and robot 32 in particular, traversesguideway 14, picking various items or packages 26 from supply pallets20, depositing them on a shipping pallet 24. In the illustratedembodiment, shipping pallet 24 is disposed on carriage 38 so as to movealong guideway 14 with robot 32. In other alternate embodiments,however, pallet 24 may not be on carriage 38, but rather may be disposedelsewhere proximate robot 32. In the embodiment wherein shipping pallet24 is disposed on carriage 38, when shipping pallet 24 is full, or thepredetermined composition for shipping pallet 24 is complete, pallet 24is removed from carriage 38 by, for example, a fork lift, an automatedguided vehicle or laser guided vehicle, and placed in line for transportfrom the storage facility. As will be described in greater detail below,the operation of robot 32 and arm 34, and the movement of carriage 38along guideway 14 is controlled by a controller included in theinventive multi-modal package handling system. It should be noted thatsystem 10 is not limited to an application wherein the packages to bepicked up are located on supply pallets. Rather, system 10 can beimplemented in a number applications. For example, in one alternateembodiment, instead of picking up packages from supply pallets 20, robot32 picks up packages disposed on a conveyor, and then deposits thepicked up package on the supply pallet, which may or may not be mountedor otherwise disposed on carriage 38.

FIG. 2 shows certain details of a portion of a system according topresent invention. Multi-modal package handling tool 36 includes endplates 46, between which four columns 48 are mounted by way of, forexemplary purposes only, bolts or other known fasteners. End plates 46and columns 48 define a space frame to which various other componentsare mounted. The space frame is mounted to robot arm 34 using, forexample, bolts or other known fasteners. FIG. 2 illustrates end of armtool 36 picking up a smooth sided cardboard carton 26. This carton isbeing picked by means of vacuum units 76, which are described in greaterdetail later in this specification.

FIG. 2 additionally shows slidingly deployable package platform 54,which is mounted upon sliding mount 62. Columns 48 each have a pluralityof mortises 56 which are engaged by mount 62. Slidingly deployablepackage platform 54, which in a preferred embodiment is controlled by acontroller that will be described in greater detail below, is positionedby means of cylinder 60, which has a fixed end mounted to the spaceframe defined by columns 48 and end plates 46 using bolts or other knownfasteners, for example. Usage of sliding platform 54 is furtherdescribed in connection with the discussion of FIG. 9. FIG. 2 also showsgripper 70, which is positioned by means of cylinder 72. Gripper 70 isswung into deployment by means of a cylinder, 73 which is shown withgreater specificity in FIG. 4. Those skilled in the art will appreciatein view of this disclosure that, as used herein, the term “cylinder”means either a conventional pneumatic cylinder, or a hydraulic cylinder,or an electrically driven device, or yet other types of linear actuatorsused within various types of machinery.

FIGS. 3 and 5 show the construction of surface plate 86, which has aplurality of ports 84, formed therein. As shown in FIG. 3, surface plate86 is mounted to end plate 46 by way of an arrangement of bolts andstandoffs 87, for example. Standoffs 87 provide clearance between endplate 46 and surface plate 86 for vacuum generators 82 that are disposedtherebetween. Each of vacuum units 76 includes a multi-ribbed cup whichis fed vacuum by means of a dedicated vacuum generator 82. In anexemplary embodiment, vacuum generators 82 are attached to endplate 46.It this particular embodiment, end plate 46 includes a plurality ofapertures for receiving threaded studs of the vacuum generators 82. Oncethe studs are inserted through the apertures in end plate 46, a nut isthreaded onto the threaded stud so as to hold vacuum generator 82 inplace. It should be noted, however, that those skilled in the art willappreciate that other attachment methods exist that are suitable formounting vacuum generators 82, which remain within the spirit and scopeof the present invention. The present inventors have determined that avacuum generator model VGS3010.AC.04.BH from the PIAB AB company ofTäby, Sweden, is preferred for practicing the present invention. Itshould be noted, however, that other types and models of vacuumgenerators exist that could be used to practice the invention. Vacuumgenerators 82 are shown with greater specificity in FIG. 5.

When the multi-ribbed vacuum cups incorporated within vacuum devices 76are activated by providing compressed air for an air source to vacuumgenerators 82, the vacuum ribbed cups contract axially, causing thepackage being picked to be pulled up tightly to surface plate 86. Thisis shown specifically in FIG. 2. As noted above, each of vacuumgenerators 82 shown in FIG. 5 is independently powered. In other words,compressed air is supplied to each of the vacuum generators 82, butthere is no manifolding for interconnecting the vacuum output side ofvacuum generators 82. Each vacuum generator 82 provides vacuum to asingle vacuum unit 76, and this is important because in the event that avacuum cannot be pulled on any one or more of vacuum units 76, vacuummay still be pulled on the remaining units.

The drink bottles shown in FIG. 5 are pulled up tightly against surfaceplate 86, but this is due to the action of package grippers 70, whichpull upon tray 26 of FIG. 5. Vacuum units 76 are normally not employedto pick bottles such as those illustrated in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 is similarto FIG. 5, but shows a pincer 90, which is used in a plurality oflocations similar to those locations used with respect to packagegrippers 70. Pincers 90 are particularly useful for gripping cardboardshipping trays, either at the ends of such trays, or in certain cases,at the center of the tray. Pincers 90 may be actuated either byhydraulic or pneumatic cylinders, or by other types of linearforce/motion devices known to those skilled in the art and suggested bythis disclosure. The application of such devices is beyond the scope ofthis specification. It should be noted that one preferred applicationfor the inventive tool and system is the beverage industry. However, thepresent invention is not limited to such as application. Rather, theinventive tool and method can be applied to any industry involvingpackages and/or palletizing.

FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 1, but shows two end of arm tools 36 mountedon a single robot arm 34. This configuration may be pursued in an effortto increase the throughput of a system according to the presentinvention

FIG. 8 is a block diagram according to the present invention, and showscontroller 100 as receiving inputs from sensors 102. A number ofsuitable controllers could be used, such as, for exemplary purposesonly, a programmable computer or a programmable logic controller, thatcan receive inputs from the sensors 102, for example, and then causesrobot 32 to respond accordingly (i.e., movement of arm 34, selection ofone or more of the package attachment systems, etc.). A variety ofdifferent sensors such as regular, low light, or infrared cameras, radiofrequency tagging, or other types of devices known to those skilled inthe art and suggested by this disclosure may be employed for the purposeof locating and sensing the package, as well as determining acharacteristic of the package being picked. This characteristic may, forexample, be the amount of open area in the top surface of the package,which would indicate whether the package is a tray of bottles having alarge amount of open area, or a smooth cardboard carton having little orno open areas.

In one preferred embodiment, sensors 102 take the form of a machinevision unit. The machine vision unit is operatively connected withcontroller 100 which, as described elsewhere herein, operates not onlyrobot 32, but also vacuum units 76, package grippers 70, and slidingpackage platform 54. Using techniques which are known to those skilledin the art and beyond the scope of this invention, the machine visionunit provides controller 100 with an image of the package being handled,so as to permit controller 100 to select the use of either vacuum units76 or package grippers 70 or a combination of vacuum units 76 andpackage platform 54. In the event that both package platform 54 andvacuum units 76 are used, the end of arm tool will be oriented such thatthe surface plate through which the vacuum units erupt will be suited ina generally vertical orientation, with the sequence of attaching thepackage to end of arm tool 36 following the steps of using vacuum units76 and robot 32 to lift the package while deploying sliding packageplatform 54 under the lifted package. In this manner, sliding packageplatform 54 may be positioned under the package without pushing thepackage from its position on its respective supply pallet 20.

In any event, inputs from various sensors 102, which are disposed onand/or proximate to surface plate 86, are used by controller 100 toselect which one or more package attachment systems are to used to liftthe package, and to selectively operate vacuum units 76, robot 32,package grippers 70, and sliding platform 54 to pick a package having adetected characteristic.

FIG. 9 illustrates another multi-modal function according to the presentinvention in which end of arm tool 36 picks a package from one side byfirst attaching to the side of package 26 with at least one vacuum unit76. Then, package 26 will be lifted by robot 32 so that cylinder 60 isable to extend slidingly deployable package platform 54 under package 26without pushing package 26 from its immediately previous location.

One exemplary implementation of the inventive tool and system isillustrated, in part, in FIG. 10. It should be noted that thisimplementation is provided for exemplary purposes only and is not meantto be limiting in nature. Rather, the inventive tool and system can beimplemented in other applications/arrangements while remaining withinthe spirit and scope of the present invention. In this implementation,the distributor of the goods being shipped enters a desired order into awarehouse management system 104. WMS 104 includes a software programthat manages the overall operation of the warehouse, and among otherthings, also stores all orders placed, keeps track of inventory andstores various product information. WMS 104 also determines, forexample, the mix and quantity of products required to meet the enteredorder (i.e., the number and composition of the shipping pallets, forexample). If necessary, the required products (i.e., the source pallets20 described above) are then retrieved—either by an automated storageand retrieval system, or manually using forklifts or automated/laserguided vehicles, for example—and placed in appropriate predeterminedproduct slot locations along guideway 14 (i.e., supply pallets). WMS 104then sends the order data to a coordinator system 106, which isessentially a software platform loaded on a personal computer, forexample, that is capable of receiving information from WMS 104 relatingto the desired order, and then communicating that information tomultiple devices in the package handling system or systems in thewarehouse, such as, for example, various conveyors, robots, and tools.WMS 104 communicates with coordinator system 106 using knowncommunication methods and techniques, such as, for example, an Ethernetnetwork, a PROFIBUS network (or other bus structure), a wirelessnetwork, or other similar methods and techniques that one of ordinaryskill in the art will appreciate as being suitable for the desiredpurpose.

Coordinator system 106 is programmed with the corresponding coordinatesof the individual product slots and the type of products in therespective slots. As will be described below, coordinator system 106 istherefore operative to take the information from WMS 104, correlate thecomposition of the order with the location of the respective goodsmaking up the order (i.e., the coordinates of the respective productslots within which the products are located), and providing a convertedform of the WMS order information to controller 100 of robot 32 thatwill allow robot 32 to assemble the desired order. In one exemplaryembodiment such as that illustrated in FIG. 1, coordinator system 106and controller 100 are located in a single control panel or enclosure108. It should be noted, however, that the present invention is not solimited. Rather, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate thatother arrangements exist in which coordinator system 106 and controller100 are separate from each other, and these arrangements remain withinthe spirit and scope of the present invention. Additionally, coordinatorsystem 106 and controller 100 may be located proximate to robot 32, asshown in FIG. 1, or may be remote to robot 32 in, for example, asupervisory station. As with the communication from WMS 104 tocoordinator system 106 described above, coordinator system 106 andcontroller 100 likewise communicate using known communication methodsand techniques, such as, for exemplary purposes, an Ethernet network, aPROFIBUS network (or other similar bus structure), a wireless network,or other similar methods and techniques that one of ordinary skill inthe art will appreciate as being suitable for the desired purpose.

Once the order information is provided by coordinator system 106 tocontroller 100, controller 100 causes robot 32 to build the desiredorder in the correct quantity and order sequence. Accordingly,controller 100 is configured, in part, to move robot 32 along guideway14 to the correct product slot where the next type of product in theorder to be picked up is located, and to then pick up the correctquantity of the product and place it on shipping pallet 24. As describedin greater detail above, in a preferred embodiment, robot 32 includessensors 102, such as, for example, a vision unit, to determine andconfirm the presence and type of product (including certainpredetermined characteristics thereof), and the products location.Sensors 102 may be hardwired to controller 100 using known methods, ormay also be connected to controller 100 over a wireless link. Using theinformation provided to controller 100 by sensors 102, controller 100,for example, positions tool 36 so as to be operative to pick up thedesired product, and also selects one or more of the package attachmentssystems associated with tool 36 to be used to pick up the respectiveproduct. Accordingly, controller 100 moves robot 32 to the correct placealong guideway 14 where the desired products is; manipulates theposition of arm 34 such that tool 36 is situated over the respectiveproduct to allow for sensors 102 to verify the type and location of theproduct; and then causes robot 32, and tool 36 in particular, to pick upthe product and deposit it on the shipping pallet 24. This operation isthen repeated until the composition of shipping pallet 24 meets thedesired order. The completed shipping pallet 24 is then removed fromcarriage 38, and replaced with an empty shipping pallet 24 to continuethe cycle.

FIG. 11 illustrates a second preferred embodiment of a multi-modalpackage handling system 110. In this particular embodiment, system 110includes a four-post gantry type robot system wherein a gantry robot 132is employed in place of the industrial robot 32 described above andillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 7, and the overhead gantry 133 takes theplace of guideway 14. Gantry robots, which are known generally in art,are stationary robots that may allow for linear motion in three or moreaxes. In the present invention, this includes movement along the x and yaxes of a horizontal plane depicted in FIG. 11 (e.g., front and back,and left and right movement), which is parallel to the floor/platform onwhich the posts of the gantry system are mounted. In the inventivesystem, gantry robot 132 includes a telescoping arm 134 to the end ofwhich a package handing tool 136 is mounted by way of bolts or otherknown fasteners. Arm 134 provides gantry robot 132, and therefore tool136, with the ability to move not only along the x-y axes, but alsoalong the z-axis, which is perpendicular to the aforementionedhorizontal x-y plane. Accordingly, with the addition of arm 134, tool136 can be moved in the front/back, left/right and up/down directions.

Generally speaking, the structure and functionality of tool 136 is thesame as that of tool 36. As such, a full description of tool 136 willnot be repeated here, but rather, the description of the function andstructure of tool 36 set forth above applies with equal force to tool136. Similarly, the general function served by multi-modal packagehandling system 110 is the same as that of system 10. Therefore, a fulldescription of system 110 will not be repeated here, but rather, withthe limited exceptions noted below, the description of system 10 setforth above applies with equal force to system 110.

Accordingly, gantry robot 132 moves along the x, y, and/or z axes asneeded to pick up various packages 126 from supply pallets 120 locatedwithin the operating area of gantry robot 132, and deposits them on ashipping pallet 124 that is positioned at a predetermined locationwithin the operating area of gantry robot 132. It should be noted thatas with the description of system 10 above, in alternate embodiments,the packages to be picked up may not be disposed on supply pallets 120located within the operating area of gantry robot 132. For example, inone exemplary embodiment, robot 132 picks up packages from a conveyorbelt located within the operating area of the gantry and then depositsthe package on supply pallet 124. Accordingly, one of ordinary skill inthe art will appreciate that the inventive system can be implemented ina number of applications and arrangements.

As with system 10, system 110 includes one or more sensors 202 (notshown in FIG. 11) positioned on or proximate to tool 136 that locateand/or sense the presence of a package, as well as, in a preferredembodiment, to determine a characteristic of the package being pickedup. This characteristic may, for exemplary purposes only, be the amountof open area in the top surface of the package, which would indicate thetype of package.

As discussed above with respect to sensors 102, sensors 202 may take theform of one or more of any number of suitable sensors, such as, forexample, regular, low light or infrared cameras, radio frequency taggingor machine vision units (which are described in greater detail above).Regardless of the sensors used, the information detected or sensed bysensors 202 is sent to a controller 200, which controls, among otherthings, at least the operation of both gantry robot 132 and tool 136. Inone preferred embodiment, controller 200, which, as set forth above, maytake on any one of a number of types of controllers, including but notlimited to, for example, programmable computers or programmable logiccontrollers, moves gantry robot 132 to supply pallet 120, and thenreceives the information from sensors 202 relating to the presence andtype of the package on supply pallet 120. Controller 200 then selectsthe type or types of package attachment system(s) mounted to the toolplatform to present to the package, and then operates robot 132 and tool136 accordingly in order to pick up the package and place it on shippingpallet 124.

An exemplary implementation of the embodiment of the inventive tool andsystem illustrated in FIG. 11 is depicted, in part, in FIG. 12. Itshould be noted that this implementation is provided for exemplarypurposes only and is not meant to be limiting in nature. Rather, theinventive tool and system can be implemented in otherapplications/arrangements while remaining within the spirit and scope ofthe present invention. In this implementation, the distributor of thegoods being shipped enters a desired order into a warehouse managementsystem 204. WMS 204 includes a software program that manages the overalloperation of the warehouse, and among other things, also stores allorders placed, keeps track of inventory and stores various productinformation. WMS 204 also determines, for example, the mix and quantityof products required to meet the entered order (i.e., the number andcomposition of the shipping pallets, for example). If necessary, therequired products (i.e., the source pallets 120 described above) arethen retrieved—either by an automated storage and retrieval system, ormanually using forklifts or automated/laser guided vehicles, forexample—and placed in appropriate predetermined product slot locationswithin the operating area of gantry robot 132. WMS 204 then sends theorder data to a coordinator system 206, which is essentially a softwareplatform loaded on a personal computer, for example, that is capable ofreceiving information from WMS 204 relating to the desired order, andthen communicating that information to multiple devices in the packagehandling system or systems in the warehouse, such as, for example,various conveyors, robots, and tools. WMS 204 communicates withcoordinator system 206 using known communication methods and techniques,such as, for example, an Ethernet network, a PROFIBUS network (or otherbus structure), a wireless network, or other similar methods andtechniques that one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate asbeing suitable for the desired purpose.

Coordinator system 206 is programmed with the corresponding coordinatesof the individual product slots and the type of products in therespective slots. As will be described below, coordinator system 206 istherefore operative to take the information from WMS 204, correlate thecomposition of the order with the location of the respective goodsmaking up the order (i.e., the coordinates of the respective productslots within which the products are located), and providing a convertedform of the WMS order information to controller 200 of robot 132 thatwill allow robot 132 to assemble the desired order. In one exemplaryembodiment such as that illustrated in FIG. 11, coordinator system 206and controller 200 are located in a single control panel or enclosure208. It should be noted, however, that the present invention is not solimited. Rather, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate thatother arrangements exist in which coordinator system 206 and controller200 are separate from each other, and these arrangements remain withinthe spirit and scope of the present invention. Additionally, coordinatorsystem 206 and controller 200 may be located proximate to robot 132, asshown in FIG. 11, or may be remote to robot 132 in, for example, asupervisory station. As with the communication from WMS 204 tocoordinator system 206 described above, coordinator system 206 andcontroller 200 likewise communicate using known communication methodsand techniques, such as, for exemplary purposes, an Ethernet network, aPROFIBUS network (or other similar bus structure), a wireless network,or other similar methods and techniques that one of ordinary skill inthe art will appreciate as being suitable for the desired purpose.

Once the order information is provided by coordinator system 206 tocontroller 200, controller 200 causes gantry robot 132 to build thedesired order in the correct quantity and order sequence. Accordingly,controller 200 is configured, in part, to move gantry robot 132 in oneor more of the x, y and z axes, to the correct product slot where thenext type of product in the order to be picked up is located, and tothen pick up the correct quantity of the product and place it onshipping pallet 124. As described in greater detail above, in apreferred embodiment, robot 132 includes one or more sensors 202, suchas, for example, a vision unit, to determine and confirm the presenceand type of product (including certain predetermined characteristicsthereof), and the products location. Sensors 202 may be hardwired tocontroller 200 using known methods, or may also be connected tocontroller 200 over a wireless link. Using the information provided tocontroller 200 by sensors 202, controller 200, for example, positionstool 136 so as to be operative to pick up the desired product, and alsoselects one or more of the package attachments systems associated withtool 136 to be used to pick up the respective product. Accordingly,controller 200 moves robot 132 to the correct place within the operatingarea of the gantry where the desired products is; manipulates theposition of arm 134 such that tool 136 is situated over the respectiveproduct to allow for sensors 202 to verify the type and location of theproduct; and then causes robot 132, and tool 136 in particular, to pickup the product and deposit it on the shipping pallet 124. This operationis then repeated until the composition of shipping pallet 124 meets thedesired order. The completed shipping pallet 124 is then removed fromthe operating area of the gantry, and replaced with an empty shippingpallet 124 to continue the cycle.

Although the present invention has been described in connection withparticular embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that variousmodifications, alterations, and adaptations may be made by those skilledin the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionset forth in the following claims.

1. A multi-modal package handling tool comprising: a tool mounted to theend of a robotic arm, wherein said tool includes a tool platform; aplurality of package attachment systems mounted to said tool platformwherein each of said plurality of package attachment systems isconfigured to attach a package to said end of said robotic arm; whereinsaid tool is responsive to a controller that is operative to select atleast one of said package attachment systems to be presented to saidpackage for attaching said package to said end of said robotic arm.
 2. Atool in accordance with claim 1 wherein said plurality of packageattachment systems includes a plurality of package carrying vacuumunits.
 3. A tool in accordance with claim 2 wherein each of said vacuumunits comprises a vacuum head powered by a dedicated vacuum generator.4. A tool in accordance with claim 2 wherein said tool platformcomprises a surface plate configured such that said package is drawnagainst and in contact with said surface plate when said package isengaged with one or more of said vacuum units.
 5. A tool in accordancewith claim 4 wherein each of said vacuum units comprises a vacuum headand said surface plate includes a plurality of ports therein configuredsuch that each of said vacuum heads extends through a correspondingport.
 6. A tool in accordance with claim 1 wherein said plurality ofpackage attachment systems includes a plurality of extensible packagegrippers, said grippers having at least a retracted position and anextended position.
 7. A tool in accordance with claim 6 wherein at leastone of said grippers comprises a hook-like member for engaging a tray ofgoods.
 8. A tool in accordance with claim 6 wherein at least one of saidgrippers comprises a pincer member for engaging a tray of goods.
 9. Atool in accordance with claim 1 further comprising at least one sensorconfigured to sense the type and location of said package, saidcontroller operative to select at least one of said package attachmentsystems to be presented to said package for attaching said package tosaid end of said robotic arm in response to said type and location ofsaid package.
 10. A tool in accordance with claim 9 wherein said atleast one sensor comprises a machine vision system.
 11. A tool inaccordance with claim 1 wherein said plurality of package attachmentsystems includes a slidingly deployable package platform, said platformhaving at least a retracted and an extended position.
 12. A tool inaccordance with claim 1 wherein said robotic arm and said tool platformare operable along a plurality of axes.
 13. A tool in accordance withclaim 1 wherein said robotic arm is part of a gantry robot.
 14. Amulti-modal package handling system, comprising: a robot having amoveable arm and configured for reciprocating movement in at least afirst and second direction; a tool attached to the end of said armhaving a plurality of package attachment systems mounted thereon; acontroller configured to select at least one of said plurality ofpackage attachment systems to be presented to a package to be picked up,and to control said movement of said robot, the operation of said arm,and the operation of said at least one selected package attachmentsystem.
 15. A system in accordance with claim 14 wherein said movablearm is operable along a plurality of axes, said system furthercomprising a guideway upon which said robot is mounted to allow for saidreciprocating movement in at least said first and second directions. 16.A system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said robot further includesa carriage upon which said robot is mounted, said carriage being mountedto said guideway.
 17. A system in accordance with claim 16 wherein saidcarriage includes a platform upon which a shipping pallet can be placed,said shipping pallet configured to receive said package attached to saidat least one package attachment system.
 18. A system in accordance withclaim 14 wherein said robot further includes a platform upon which ashipping pallet can be placed, said shipping pallet configured toreceive said package attached to said at least one attachment system.19. A system in accordance with claim 14 wherein said robot isconfigured to assemble a shipping pallet comprising at least one packagepicked up by said at least one of said plurality of package attachmentsystems from a supply pallet disposed proximate said robot.
 20. A systemin accordance with claim 14 further comprising at least one sensorconfigured to sense the type and location of said package, saidcontroller operative to select at least one of said package attachmentsystems to be presented to said package for attaching said package tosaid end of said robotic arm in response to said type and location ofsaid package.
 21. A tool in accordance with claim 20 wherein said atleast one sensor comprises a machine vision system.
 22. A tool inaccordance with claim 13 wherein said robot is a gantry robot and saidarm is a telescoping arm to which said tool is attached.
 23. Amulti-modal package handling system comprising: a warehouse managementsystem operative to receive an order comprising at least one package; acoordinator system configured to receive information from said warehousemanagement system relating to said order, wherein said coordinatorsystem is programmed with the coordinates of the location of said atleast one package; a robot having a moveable arm, said robot configuredfor reciprocating movement in at least a first and second direction; atool attached to the end of said arm having a plurality of packageattachment systems mounted thereon; and a controller configured toreceive information from said coordinator system about said order andthe location of said at least one package, and to control the movementof said robot, the operation of said robotic arm and the operation ofsaid tool in response to said order information, and further whereinsaid controller is configured to select at least one of said pluralityof package attachment systems to be presented to said package to bepicked up.